Miso Glazed Salmon ~ We Love delicious Food, Recipes, and Cooking Techniques

Better than at your favorite restaurant, this miso-glazed salmon is sweet, savory, and full of flavor. It cooks with a delicious caramelized miso glaze on the outside and stays flaky and moist in the middle. You are going to love everything about this recipe!

I think it’s safe to say salmon is my favorite kind of fish. It’s flaky and flavorful, without a super strong fish flavor. You can also flavor it in so many different ways, like this Garlic Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon, and this easy Baked Garlic Herb Salmon, and this amazing and Insanely Good Creamy Tuscan Garlic Salmon.

Miso glazed salmon in a pan with sesame seeds and green onions on top.

Miso Glaze Salmon

This glazed miso salmon is insanely good! It is also super easy to make, so you are definitely going to love this recipe. The real magic in this recipe is the miso glaze. Miso glaze tastes like the best sweet and savory sauce you’ve ever had that pairs perfectly with salmon. Miso paste is made from fermented soybeans that has a deep umami flavor with a hint of funk. If you like soy sauce, you are going to love this glaze. If you do love the glaze, you’ll have to try this homemade hoisin sauce and pot sticker sauce next!

I love seafood, especially with an Asian twist. I feel like the savory flavors in things like sesame oil, rice vinegar, and miso paste just go so well on fish. You can definitely try this glaze on other pieces of fish like snapper or cod. I bet it’s even delicious with scallops and shrimp! No matter what you cook, it’s going to be amazing. I have never had anyone try this miso glaze that didn’t ask me for the recipe.

Ingredients

The salmon is definitely the star of this glazed miso salmon recipe. If you aren’t confident in picking out the perfect piece of salmon, I share my tips below in the tip box. The best part about this recipe in my opinion is that you also get the perfect miso glaze recipe! You can use this glaze on a lot of other protein and veggies (it’s perfect with a stir fry!).

Salmon Fillets: I like to buy one half of a salmon which is usually about 2 pounds and slice it into four salmon filets.
Salt and Pepper: This is to season the salmon. The glaze is pretty salty already from the soy sauce, so you could choose a low sodium soy sauce to cut down on some of the salt.
Miso Paste: Miso paste is a fermented soybean paste. You can use white miso or red miso, I chose red for this sauce.
Soy Sauce: This is the perfect pair with miso paste. It pairs perfectly with all of the other flavors and helps the sauce get to the right consistency.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a sweetness that balances out the savory flavors. You could use honey instead if you would like.
Rice Vinegar: This is the perfect way to brighten up the glaze. It’s sweet and acidic kind of like apple cider vinegar. In fact, you can actually substitute rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar in a pinch. Rice wine vinegar could also work.
Sesame Oil: This has a nutty earthy flavor that is perfect in addition to all of the other ingredients.
Green Onions and Sesame Seeds: This is an optional garnish. I think it makes the dish look complete, and adds a lot of fresh flavor

Process photos showing the salmon being seasoned, the sauce being made, the salmon marinading, and the cooking.

Miso Glazed Salmon Recipe

Cooking miso glazed salmon is so simple! You will start cooking the fish in a skillet in the oven. Then you will take it out and add a little more of your miso glaze to give it a nice caramel crust and broil it. It makes all the sugars in the sauce nice and sticky, just like they do at a restaurant! This dish is easy and so full of flavor, and a great way to get the whole family to try something new.

Season Salmon: Salt and pepper the salmon.
Whisk Ingredients: In a small bowl add the miso paste, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Wisk together until smooth. Reserve 1 tablespoon of marinade.
Marinade: In a medium sized bowl add the salmon and the sauce. Let it marinade for 1-3 hours.
Cook Salmon: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet or oven safe frying pan add the salmon and discard marinade. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until fish is almost done and opaque. Brush with reserved glaze and Broil on high for 1-2 minutes until fish reaches 125-130 degrees in the center.
Garnish and Enjoy: Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

A piece of salmon on a plate with edamame.

Tips for Making Miso Glazed Salmon

I think you are going to love this miso glazed salmon recipe because it is full of unique flavor and still really easy to cook. So if you go to make this recipe and have a few questions, be sure to check out these tips that will help make this recipe a success. I also share a few ideas of what to eat this salmon with!

Choosing Good Salmon: When you are looking for salmon at the store, the color of the fish will tell you a lot. If it has a really nice deep pink color, it is going to be flavorful and full of good nutrients. You don’t want a pale, orange, and wet-looking piece. When you poke it, the meat should spring back. If it leaves an indent then the fish is not as fresh as you want it.
What to Serve It With: I love miso salmon over some brown rice and a side of edamame. It also goes great with roasted vegetables or even miso soup (never too much miso in my opinion!). You can also serve this salmon on top of a Asian ramen salad for a heartier and more complete meal.
Making the Glaze: This glaze is so simple. You just put all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk! I prefer red miso paste, which you should be able to find in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. You can use a low sodium soy sauce to cut down on some of the salt content. If you don’t have rice vinegar on hand, you can use apple cider vinegar as a great substitute. The sesame oil is really strong in flavor, so make sure you don’t overdo it, and you will have the perfect glaze!

A fork pulling apart flaky miso glazed salmon.

Storing Leftovers

Miso glazed salmon is so flaky and tender. It is definitely best enjoyed fresh in my opinion, but if you have leftovers here is how to store them.

In the Refrigerator: You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.